Anti-fog headlight with opaque mask

ABSTRACT

A sealed beam headlamp has a convex front transparent lens integrally joined peripherally to a parabolic reflector. An internal centered incandescent filament is carried by the reflector. An anti-fog mask is applied to the lens at either side or is embedded in the lens. The mask is a black, opaque member. It has arms crossed at a right angle. The arms extend across vertical and horizontal of the lens dividing it into four clear quadrants. The mask can be made of flexible, springy material removably held on the headlamp by flexible tabs at ends of the arms. The arms can be pivotally joined to each other.

United States Patent Schmitt 1541 ANTI-FOG HEADLIGHT WITH OPAQUE MASK[72] Inventor: Roman A. Schmitt, W255 S-4287 Oakdale Drive, Waukesha,Wis. 53186 221 Filed: Apri17, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 132,096

[52] US. Cl. ..240/46.43, 240/41.4, 240/46.09, 240/4619, 240/4653 [51]Int. Cl ..F2lv ll/02 [58] Field of Search....240/41.4, 46.03, 46.07,46.09, 240/4627, 46.31, 46.33, 46.45, 46.49, 46.53, 46.55, 46.43, 46.19

Allis ..240/46.55 X

[ 1 Nov. 21, 1972 2,531,337 11/1950 Knapp ..240/41.4 R- 1,998,967 4/1935Raynolds ..240/46.49 R X 1,950,918 3/1934 Fores ..240/46.45 2,584,1812/1952 Bauman ..240/46.53 X 2,855,500 10/1958 Holman ..240/41.4 R XPrimary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant ExaminerAlan A. MathewsAttorneyPolachek, Saulsbury & Hough [57] ABSTRACT A sealed beam headlamphas a convex front transparent lens integrally joined peripherally to aparabolic reflector. An internal-centered incandescent filament iscarried by the reflector. An anti-fog mask is applied to the lens ateither side or is embedded in the lens. The mask is a black, opaquemember. It has arms crossed at a right angle. The arms extend acrossvertical and horizontal of the lens dividing it into four clearquadrants. The mask can be made of flexible, springy material removablyheld on the headlamp by flexible tabs at ends of the arms. The arms canbe pivotally I joined to each other.

3 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEnuuvznsn I 3.703.636

SHEEIIIJFZ INVENTOR.

ROMAN A. SCHMITT ATTORNEYS PATENTEDNUVZI 1912 3 3.703.636

SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENTOR.

g/ ROMAN A. SCHMITT A TTURNEYS 1 ANTI-FOG HEADLIGHT WITH OPAQUE MASKcaused -by reflection of light from water vapor in the fog. Variousexpedients were proposed to remedy this condition without success. Someexpedients proposed involved use of transparent or translucent coloredfilters covering the entire headlight lens or selected upper or lowerparts. These prior full or partial filters were not successful anddid'not gain general commercial acceptance. The basic reason was thatthey failed to eliminate glare, and they objectionably reduced the fogpenetrating ability of the light emitted by the headlamps.

I have discovered that a conventional sealed beam headlight can beconverted into an anti-fog headlight by providing an integral orremovable opaque, centered, right-angle cross mask on the headlightlens. This mask can be in front of the lens'or behind it. It can bemanufactured as a separate attachment which can be snapped on theheadlight or headlamp. It can be bonded to the lens or embedded in thelens of the headlight.

The invention operates by blocking the intense direct light beam fromthe incandescent filament of the headlamp. This light is internallyreflected and comes out of the headlight in four separate diffused beamswith high fog penetrating power. Glare is reduced due to the internalreflection and diffusion of the light beams emitted by the headlight.

Other and further features, objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken togetherwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicle headlamp assembly embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of a portionof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating amodification of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of another vehicle headlamp assembly embodyinganother form of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the assembly of FIGS.5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a further headlamp assembly including headlampand mask embodying a further form of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the mask per se of FIG. 8, in open position.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG.9.

FIG. 11 is a front view of the mask of FIGS. 8-10 in closed position.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged top plan view taken on line l2-l2 ofFIG. l1.

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a first headlampassembly L1 for a vehicle. The assembly includes a sealed beam headlightstructure 10 formed with a front externally convex transparent lens 12and rear parabolic reflector 14 integrally joined peripherally to thelens. At the focal center of the reflector is incandescent filament 16supported by spaced insulators 18 and terminating in electrical contactprongs 19 at the back of the reflector. The exterior of the transparentreflector is coated with a light reflective film 20. To the extentdescribed the headlamp structure 10 is conventional. Now, according tothe invention there is provided a mask 25 which converts the headlamp 10to an anti-fog headlamp. Mask 25 is made of opaque material. It issecured to the inner concave side of lens 12. The mask has the form of across with vertical arm 26 andhorizontal arm 28 crossed at a right angleto each other at the center of lens 12. The opaque center portion 30blocks a center beam of intense direct light from the centered filament16, while arms 26 and 28 block beams in diametral vertical andhorizontal planes. The mask preferably has an external black surface toprevent external light reflections. The mask may be composed of paint,lacquer or it may be made of metal or plastic cemented or otherwisebonded to the inside of the lens 12. In any case it divides the lightemitted by the headlamp into four diffused beams passing through fourseparate quadrants 01-04 of lens 12. This effectively prevents glareformerly caused by reflection from water vapor in the fog of the directintense beam emitted by incandescent filament 16. At the same time, theefficiency of the headlamp is not materially reduced since the light isemitted in a diffused divided pattern of four beams. Direct lightemitted by the filament cannot pass through the lens in mutuallyperpendicular horizontal and vertical diametral planes blocked by arms26, 28.

FIG. 4 illustrates another form of the invention in which mask 25 ofheadlamp assembly L2 is bonded between two abutted transparent glasslayers 32and 34 forming lens 12A. As a furtheraltemative the mask can beembedded inside a single glass layer of sufficient thickness. In anycase the mask has the right-angle cross configuration shown in FIG. 1.

The headlamp assembly L3 shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 includes a sealedbeam headlamp 10 provided with an externally applied separable mask 25a.This mask has a right angle cross structure. It is opaque and made offlexible, springy metal or plastic material. It is rearwardly bent tabs36 at ends of its arms 26a, 28a. The mask can'be snapped over theperipheral rim 37 of the headlamp and will remain in place by springpressure exerted by the tabs 36 on reflector 14. The arms 26a, 28a willflex to conform to the convex curvature of the lens 12. If desired, thearms of the mask can have an initial curvature to conform to thecurvature of the lens. In any case the arms lie flush and snug againstthe front of the lens 12. The mask operates in the same manner asdescribed above for reducing glare, improving fog penetrating abilityand taking full advantage of the light beams without filtering orreducing them in intensity.

FIGS. 8-12 show another mask 25b which can be used in place of mask 25aon headlamp 10 to form the anti-fog headlight L3. Here the mask isformed of two flexible, springy opaque, black metal or plastic strips orarms 26b, 28b pivotally joined at their center by a rivet 40. The stripsterminate in flexible tabs 36', 36". The mask in open right-angle crossposition engages on the rim 37 at the front of the lens 12 of theheadlamp as shown in FIG. 8, in the same manner as illustrated in FIGS.5 and 6. When removed from the headlamp 10, the arms can be rotated withrespect to each other from the open position of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 to theclosed position of FIGS. 11 and 12 where tabs 36 of vertical strip 26babut and engage tabs 36", and arms 26b, 28b are juxtaposed to eachother. In this position the mask can be conveniently stored in a glovecompartment or other storage place to occupy minimum space.

The forms of the invention shown in 1-3 and 4 will be incorporated inthe headlamps at the time of manufacture without materially increasingthe cost of manufacture. The forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 5-7and 8-12 are attachments which can be manufactured at low cost by massproduction metal or plastic working machines. The masks can be mountedon conventional sealed beam headlamps and removed therefrom at any time.

All forms of the invention operate in the same basic manner describedabove. They will be found to fulfill a long felt need in the field. Theywill improve vehicular driving safety and reduce road hazards whendriving at night or in fog. The invention can be used with headlights ofland, water and airborne vehicles.

While a limited number of embodiments of the invention have beendescribed, it will be understood that many modifications are possiblewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdescribed in the appended claims.

Whatis claimed is:

1. An anti-fog headlamp assembly comprising a sealed beam headlamphaving a transparent, externally convex front lens, a parabolicreflector integrally S joined peripherally with said lens, and anincandescent filament carried by the reflector at its focal center; anda mask for reducing glare and increasing penetrating power of lightemitted by the headlamp, said mask comprising two opaque arms crossed ina right angle cross configuration, said mask being applied to the lensand extending across the same with said arms respectively horizontal andvertical, the center of the mask being aligned with said filament toprevent intense direct light beams emitted by the filament from passingout through the lens in diametral vertical and horizontal planes, and todivide the lens into four clear quadrants through which diffused lightbeams can pass from the filament after internal reflection by thereflector; said mask being a separate device applied to the externalconvex side of the lens, and further comprising means for removablysecuring the mask to the headlamp; said arms of the mask being pivotallyjoined to each other at their centers so that the arms can be alignedwith each other when the mask is in a closed position.

2. An anti-fog headlamp assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the maskis made of flexible, springy material, and wherein the removablesecuring means comprises flexible springy tabs at ends of the armsengaging on the periphery of the lens and reflector.

3. An anti-fog headlamp assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the maskhas an external black surface to prevent light reflectipns thegefr om

1. An anti-fog headlamp assembly comprising a sealed beam headlamphaving a transparent, externally convex front lens, a parabolicreflector integrally joined peripherally with said lens, and anincandescent filament carried by the reflector at its focal center; anda mask for reducing glare and increasing penetrating power of lightemitted by the headlamp, said mask comprising two opaque arms crossed ina right angle cross configuration, said mask being applied to the lensand extending across the same with said arms respectively horizontal andvertical, the center of the mask being aligned with said filament toprevent intense direct light beams emitted by the filament from passingout through the lens in diametral vertical and horizontal planes, and todivide the lens into four clear quadrants through which diffused lightbeams can pass from the filament after internal reflection by thereflector; said mask being a separate device applied to the externalconvex side of the lens, and further comprising means for removablysecuring the mask to the headlamp; said arms of the mask being pivotallyjoined to each other at their centers so that the arms can be alignedwith each other when the mask is in a closed position.
 1. An anti-fogheadlamp assembly comprising a sealed beam headlamp having atransparent, externally convex front lens, a parabolic reflectorintegrally joined peripherally with said lens, and an incandescentfilament carried by the reflector at its focal center; and a mask forreducing glare and increasing penetrating power of light emitted by theheadlamp, said mask comprising two opaque arms crossed in a right anglecross configuration, said mask being applied to the lens and extendingacross the same with said arms respectively horizontal and vertical, thecenter of the mask being aligned with said filament to prevent intensedirect light beams emitted by the filament from passing out through thelens in diametral vertical and horizontal planes, and to divide the lensinto four clear quadrants through which diffused light beams can passfrom the filament after internal reflection by the reflector; said maskbeing a separate device applied to the external convex side of the lens,and further comprising means for removably securing the mask to theheadlamp; said arms of the mask being pivotally joined to each other attheir centers so that the arms can be aligned with each other when themask is in a closed position.
 2. An anti-fog headlamp assembly asdefined in claim 1, wherein the mask is made of flexible, springymaterial, and wherein the removable securing means comprises flexiblespringy tabs at ends of the arms engaging on the periphery of the lensand reflector.